The invention relates generally to propshaft housings for outboard engines, and more particularly, to preventing relative side to side motion between the propshaft housing and the gear case.
Known outboard engines include a drive shaft which extends from the engine power head, through an exhaust case, and into an engine lower unit. The lower unit includes a gear case, and a propeller shaft extends through the gear case. A pinion gear affixed to the lower end of the drive shaft meshes with and drives two gears diametrically opposed to each other and rotationally aligned with the propeller shaft. A clutching member, which is slidingly connected to the propeller shaft, selectively engages one of the drive gears, thereby driving the propeller shaft in the same rotational direction as the engaged gear. One propeller shaft rotational direction provides forward thrust, and the other rotational direction provides reverse thrust. The rotational axis of the propeller shaft is generally perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drive shaft.
A bearing housing, sometimes referred to as a propshaft housing, is located within the gear case, and the propeller shaft extends through a longitudinal bore in the propshaft housing. Bearings are supported within the propshaft housing bore, and the propeller shaft rotates relative to the propshaft housing on the bearings.
Due to the significant vibrations and power transmitted by the propeller shaft, the propshaft housing must be tightly secured to the gear case to prevent relative motion between the propshaft housing and the gear case. Such relative motion causes wear, which leads to increased clearances between the housing and the gear case. Increased clearances permit greater relative motion, and therefore greater wear, which can result in failure of the gear case, the propshaft housing, the propeller shaft, gears, and/or other components. The propshaft housing must also be removable from the gear case to permit repair and/or replacement of internal components.
Known apparatus attempt to at least limit relative axial, rotational, and lateral movement between the propshaft housing and the gear case. For example, one or more threaded fasteners can be used to limit relative axial motion through a clamping action, and the clamping action also limits relative lateral motion. Lateral movement can only be eliminated, however, by eliminating the clearances between the gear case and the propshaft housing. Also, to limit relative lateral movement, one or more O-rings may be located between the outside diameter of the propshaft housing and inside the bore of the gear case to act as shock absorbers. Due to the elasticity of o-rings, relative lateral motion is reduced, but not eliminated.
Another known retention apparatus for securing a propshaft housing to a gear case includes steel tabs that are tightened against the rear face of the propshaft housing, and the ends of the tabs project radially outward from the outside diameter of the propshaft housing into recesses in the gear case bore. The tab thickness is slightly larger than the distance between the face of the propshaft housing and the rear face of the gear case recess, and the tabs bend slightly when fully tightened against the propshaft housing as the front end of the housing contacts a shoulder in the gear case. This bending of the tabs, which is within the elastic limit of the steel, maintains a high axial load on the propshaft housing against the gear case shoulder, which generates enough friction to prevent rotation of the propshaft housing relative to the gear case. The friction between the tabs, the propshaft housing, and gear case recesses does not, however, always prevent relative lateral movement. The ensuing wear tends to loosen the axial clamp load, which then permits relative rotational movement as well.
In other known engines, threads are formed at the propeller end of the gear case, and after locating the propshaft housing within the gear case, a collar is threadedly secured to the gear case and tightly fits against the propshaft housing. The frictional contact between the propshaft housing and the gear case shoulder, and between the propshaft housing and the collar, effectively prevents rotational and lateral movement of the housing relative to the gear case. To prevent loosening of the collar, a thin washer with an outwardly projecting radial tab and an inwardly projecting radial tab is located between the threaded ring and the propshaft housing. The outer tab fits into a slot in the gear case, and the inner tab is folded over into one of the slots on the inside diameter of the threaded collar. Corrosion and marine growth, however, may make removal of the collar extremely difficult, if not impossible, when servicing is required. In addition, the large exposed threads on both the collar and the gear case can be easily damaged and are relatively expensive to manufacture.
In some other known engines, the propshaft housing includes flanges at the housing aft end, and bolts extend through openings in the flanges and engage the gear case, which totally eliminates rotation of the propshaft housing relative to the gear case. The flanges are tightened against the gear case, which securely positions the propshaft housing axially with respect to the gear case. Although securing the propshaft housing to the gear case in this manner effectively eliminates all relative motion between the aft end of the propshaft housing and the gear case, there may be undesirable hydrodynamic consequences of the flange configuration. The propshaft flange arrangement, therefore, is typically only used for low speed applications, i.e., on small horsepower engines.
Another known retention apparatus employs one or more snap rings expanded into a groove or grooves in the gear case bore at the front end of the propshaft housing, and an annular plate is positioned in front of the snap rings. The plate has two or more threaded holes into which screws are tightened after passing through the front face of the propshaft housing. The snap rings are tightly trapped between the plate and the housing. The snap rings provide an axial locating feature, while the friction between the plate, rings, and housing tends to prevent lateral and rotational movement of the housing relative to the gear case. Unfortunately, the prevention of relative lateral movement occurs only at the front of the propshaft housing. Lateral movement at the rear end of the propshaft housing is not reduced or eliminated, and excessive wear can progress quite rapidly. Also, the holes in the propshaft housing through which the screws pass must be sealed to prevent leakage of water into the gear case. Sealing the openings can be tedious and time consuming.
It would be desirable to provide a propshaft housing retention arrangement that tightly secures the propshaft housing to the gear case so as to eliminate relative side to side movement between the propshaft housing and the gear case, especially in high performance engines. It also would be desirable to provide such an arrangement that enables easy removal of the propshaft housing from the gear case.